What Now?
by Scrapbook Original
Summary: Continuing right after 2x03. Charlie has decided she needs a new plan on how to kill Monroe. This is basically how I would write the rest of the season/ my theories on what will happen.
1. Going in for the Kill

The sound of a branch snapping behind Charlie woke her up. She jumped up looking around the forest for any signal of life. She didn't hear anything but she had a bad feeling.

She felt like someone was watching her. She grabbed her crossbow and tied her jacket around her waist. She started walking, since finding Monroe she had changed her plans. Granted she still wanted to kill him, but she had realized she wouldn't be able to do that just by sneaking up on him in the woods.

She needed to plan it out. Monroe was cunning and so she would also have to be if she wanted to kill him. She was headed back to the last town she had passed through on her way to find Monroe.

Charlie had never been the type to just stand around and think, so if she was going to come up with a plan, then she would have to be proactive, even if that involved finding that militia soldier she had slept with. Charlie was pretty sure his name started with a J but she wasn't sure exactly what it was. If he couldn't help her with her plan, than he would at least be good to help her relax and get Monroe off her mind.

Suddenly, she heard a branch crack behind her, so she whipped around crossbow aimed.

"Whoa, Charlotte, calm down" She had turned to find Monroe and his gun pointed at her, "We need to talk."

She just turned around, dropping her bow, and beginning to walk again, "So talk" She wasn't sure whether she was more pissed off that he had found her or that she wasn't able to kill him right now. She could go for it, but she had been thinking more and more about what Miles would have done in her situation. Miles would wait and make a plan.

"Charlie, whoever these people that want your mother say they are, they aren't the US government, you can be sure of that." He said still following right behind her.

"If you think, I'm taking you to my mother and..." she whipped around to face him, "and Miles, then your crazier than everyone says." Charlie yelled at him.

"Look Charlotte right now were on the same side. We want the same thing."

"No we don't. I left Miles and my mom for a reason, so why would I want to go back, and I want to see you dead and buried . So no, I don't think we do." She started to turn around again, but he caught her arm.

"If this "US government" already has bounty hunters in the plains nation, looking for us, than they are dangerous, heck who do you think dropped the bombs? And right now with the republic and the Georgia federation wiped out, they are showing up at the perfect time. People will see them as the heroes and us as the enemies." She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip, "You, Me, Miles, your mother heck even Neville's son, we will be the targets, do you understand? If we want to stay alive we need to get to Miles and your mother and make a plan."

Charlie did agree that a plan needed to be made, but the plan was how she would kill him, not for her to get involved with these new "patriots".

"You killed half of my family, why would you want to save the other half? Or do you just pick and choose which ones you like the best?" She pulled away and started walking again.

"Charlotte…" he called, "Wait, Charlie, I'm sorry. I never me..."

She whirled around. "You never meant, what? To kill Danny, my father. You're sorry about what the other millions of innocent lives you ended?"

"Look, Charlotte, I am sorry about Danny and your father, their deaths were never my intention, but I need your help now, so that I can warn Miles and Rachel. If I go looking for them on my own, then I won't find them in time. This isn't as simple as the bounty hunters, this is a bloody world war and we are in the middle of it." He reached over grabbing her arm again, "So you're coming with me, whether you like it or not"

"The hell I am" she pushed away, struggling to get free. She caught him off guard by spitting in his face. Then swung her right elbow at him, causing him to release her arm, then she kicked him in the gut and stepped back, pulling her crossbow from where she had slung it over her shoulder and aimed it at him. He didn't have time to recover before she pulled the string back and fired. It hit him in the chest and he staggered back falling to his knees. This was it, she was going to end Monroe, right here, right now.

But something stopped her, it might have been Miles, or maybe just her conscience, but as he looked up at her, she couldn't take the shot. He didn't say a word, just stared deep into her soul. She saw in his cold blue eyes that he knew he deserved to die, that in some part he was at peace with this, but for whatever reason Charlie couldn't kill Monroe. So she lowered her weapon, turned and started running.


	2. Finding Paradise

"You know honestly, I never thought you'd be back." He admitted, pulling her closer to him. "Did you ever find him? Monroe I mean." He asked.

"No" She was not in the mood to talk, she just wanted to sleep, but she had to admit she kind of liked this guy, and if she wasn't Miles's niece she might could see herself settling down in a town like this, with a guy like Jeff.

"Charlie can I ask you a question?" She nodded, shifting a little so she could see his face. After leaving Monroe with an arrow through his chest in the woods she had come back, found Jeff and wound up in his bed again. "Why were you looking for him anyway, the man is a lunatic?"

"Its personal"

"Wait you know him personally?

"I.."

"Wait you weren't his girlfriend or anything right?"

"Are you serious? He's twice my age."

"Well I mean, what else explains why you would know him personally?" She shouldn't tell him, but she wanted to trust him, really just wanted someone to confide in. So what the hell. She decided to live by a new philosophy. When you have no one left, tell random strangers all your secrets.

"The name Miles Matheson ring any bells?"

"Yea general of the militia."

"He's my uncle" She watched his face for a reaction.

"You're serious." He said amazed.

She nodded "Yea I actually met Monroe when I was 6, he came with Miles to visit once. "

"Didn't your uncle try to kill him?" He asked.

"Yea, and I'm going to finish what he started." Jeff sat up quickly, looking at her.

"You were trying to find Monroe so that you could kill him?"

"Yea, listen I don't really feel like talking about it."

"Ok that's fine, I get it" he said laying back down and pulling her towards him.

They laid in silence for a few minutes before, "You found him didn't you?" his fingers grazing gently over the three sores on her shoulder.

"Yea I did"

"Did you kill him?"

"No, I couldn't." she sighed.

"Couldn't or Didn't?"

"Monroe killed my family. My dad and my brother."

"So why didn't you?"

"I don't know"

"Monroe killed my father too." She barely heard it, but she did. "My mom told me how my dad was going to enlist in the army, the United States army, and she didn't know how to tell him about me, so she let him leave without knowing I existed. But then after the blackout he eventually became Militia. My mom said he was the best soldier the republic ever had, but then Monroe betrayed him and killed him. I, uh…. Never got to meet him, and he never knew I existed."

"I'm sorry. Stories like yours are why I want to kill him, somebody should while he's weak."

"Now you sure sound like a Generals niece." He chuckled. "Listen, I've made peace with what Monroe did to my family. Speaking from experience, revenge will never satisfy you. It won't bring back your brother, or father. All it will do is chip away at you until you have nothing left but an angry, cold and empty heart."

She was listening, feeling worse and worse that she couldn't let go of the anger she held towards Monroe. "That is why I came to the plains nation in the first place, because after I left the militia, all I wanted was to start over, forget all that Monroe had done. Here people don't want power or money, they just want to live, be free, to start over."

Charlie's breathing had steadied and he knew that she had fallen asleep. Jeff didn't know what to think of this mysterious girl, but if he could help her, he would, because she made him want to live again like nothing in a while had, and she was a decent person, he could tell. She just had a lot of baggage, but so did he.

…..

"Charlie" Jeff called her name, and she opened her eyes looking around. She shot up when she saw Monroe holding his gun to Jeff who was standing across the room in his boxers.

She pulled the sheet up to cover herself "Monroe put the gun down." She saw that he had a nasty wound from her arrow on his chest.

"You shot me Charlotte. That wasn't very nice, was it?"

"What do you want?"

"Agree to lead me to Miles and your mother, or I'll kill him."

"Fine then I guess you're going to have to kill him, because I'm not taking you so that you can kill Miles."

"For the hundredth time Charlie, I don't want to kill him, I want to help them and I need his help."

"What do you need his help for? Rebuilding your republic?"

"Finding my son." Monroe's remark left the room completely silent. "If the "US Government" is coming after me than I at least want to meet him, once, before they execute me."

Charlie was deep in thought when Jeff turned and clocked Monroe over the head. Monroe punched back and Jeff, out of practice, stumbled back.

She jumped up from the bed, taking advantage of this moment to grab Jeff's shirt and throw it and her underwear on, then she rushed over to stop the fight. She managed to push herself in between them, but Monroe didn't stop, and, aiming for Jeff, hit Charlie in the face.

"Charlie I'm sorry, the guy hit me for no reason, I.." Monroe started, but Jeff cut him off. "You son of a bitch, you threatened to kill me and…"

"It's what she told you." Charlie stopped them both from speaking.

They both stopped and looked at her. "What?" Monroe said.

"It what Emma told you, before she died, right… that you had a son. That's why you stepped away from her." She said holding her eye. Monroe nodded.

"Who's Emma?" Jeff asked still breathing heavily, his interest piqued.

Charlie knew this wasn't a good idea but she also knew Monroe was right. These people were dangerous and she needed to warn what was left of her family. On the other hand, Charlie believed that he was telling the truth about his son, and wanting to find him. Even though she thought she would never believe anything he said, for once she did. And for all those children that would never get a chance to see their parents again, she had to do this. If not for Monroe, than for his son.

Charlie was for some weird reason considering taking him to Miles when she remembered that she was standing in front of Sebastian Monroe without a bra on. "Alright, if I go with you, there are two conditions. One, no killing, and two, he goes too" She stated pointing at Jeff.

"Whoa wait, I thought I signed on for sex, not following you into a possible war. I left the Militia, a long time ago. Plus, if you don't kill him I probably will." Jeff contested.

"I thought you were done hating him, and wanting revenge for your father." Charlie reminded him.

"Yea well that was before he tried to kill me." Charlie grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.

"I need to do this, for my family, and for Monroe's son. Don't you think he deserves to meet his father? Monroe may be a monster, but at least the child would know that his father wanted to know him. But I still don't trust him. I need your help."

"So you don't trust him, but you trust me. You've known him longer." Charlie didn't respond. She just turned back to Monroe.

"Ok were in, just give us a second to get packed." She sighed.

"Wait I didn't say I would go." Jeff retorted.

"He'll go." She reassured Monroe.

"Ok" Monroe said throwing up his hands. Then he turned and started to leave the room, but turned at the last second, "But Charlotte?"

"Yes"

"Stop trying to kill me."


	3. Blood Vs Water

Charlie ran down the street, brushing past people. There were people walking around, but they weren't paying attention to her. "Out, you have to get out of the city. Run please." She yelled at them. She grabbed a lady's arm, "Mam you have to leave, get your family and get out of the city." The lady shoved her back, "Get off me, crazy." She heard the lady mumble. But she didn't stop. That's when she saw them. Miles, and her mother. "Miles, mom" she ran to them. "We have to get out, we need to leave, we have to get out of the city." She screamed at them grabbing their arms and tugging. It was useless they wouldn't budge. "Charlie there's nothing we can do, it's going to happen. Let it" Her mom looked at her brushing a piece of hair from Charlie's face.

"No" she screamed, "we can fix it we can save them, please help me get these people out of the city."

"Charlie it's too late." Miles said.

Just then it fell from the sky. The ground rumbled and she saw the fire and the explosion coming towards them. People screaming as the flames incinerated them. They came rushing towards her.

"No" Charlie shot up, breathing heavily. The images flashing through her mind. Jeff sat up next to her and Monroe stood from up from the rock, shot gun ready.

"Hey, you ok?" Jeff placed his hand on her back.

"No, yea I'm fine, just a dream, no big deal." She saw Monroe's eyes glance around to secure the camp, and then back down to her. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn she saw concern in his eyes.

"You sure?" Jeff asked concerned.

"Yea, I'm sure." Charlie laid back down trying not to think about her dream, but the images had been so vivid. She knew that it wasn't her fault. There was nothing she could have done, but it didn't matter. The bombs had dropped and cites had been decimated. It was worse than anything she could have imagined. She remembered when she was a child, hearing stories about wars in the past, where bombs were used. But, since the power had shut off there weren't bombs like that, and she had forgotten that they even existed until that day in the tower.

She shut her eyes, but the images continued to flood her mind. They began to shift from images of the bombs dropping to pictures of her dad, Maggie, Nora, and Danny, taking their last breaths. It was too much. She looked over, Jeff's breathing had slowed and she knew he had already fallen asleep. So she slipped out from under his arm and walked over to the rock that Monroe was sitting on. And against her best judgment sat down next to him.

"I can watch, if you want to sleep some." She said quietly, not wanting to wake Jeff.

"You already took your shift earlier." He looked over at her.

"I know but it's no use, I can't sleep." She turned to look at him, she didn't want to see the sorrow in his eyes anymore. She could tell that even though it was irrational, he still felt some guilt for the bombs, and defiantly for killing her family. She didn't want to admit it but somehow she knew Monroe cared about her, and Miles, and her mother.

"Neither can I." He looked back down at the shotgun in his hands.

"You haven't slept for the past 2 days." She turned, surprised that she actually cared. "You need to sleep."

"What part of I can't sleep didn't make sense to you Charlotte?" His tone had changed.

She paused and they sat in silence for a few minutes. "I don't go by Charlotte."

"I know. It's just…" He paused.

"It's just what?"

"Nothing."

She knew she shouldn't ask but she needed to know, "Is it Emma? Is she the reason you can't sleep?"

"It's none of your damn business."

"I know I'm sorry" she paused, about to go back over to where Jeff was, but then she changed her mind, "Maybe we should stop pretending we know anything about each other. I'm not the girl in the fairy outfit that you and Miles took out for ice-cream anymore."

He turned to face her, "You remember that?" "I mean you were only like what 4, maybe 5?"

She thought she detected a slight smile on his face, but couldn't be sure. "I was 6, and yea I do."

"Well in case you forgot, you insisted we call you Princess Charlotte the whole day."

She turned away slightly, pretty sure that her face was a lovely shade of red.

"I know you're not that little girl anymore, you never really had the chance to be a kid Charlie, and I'm sorry for that. You had to grow up way to fast." He sounded like her father and it made her uncomfortable, but she stayed. "You're so much like her you know, your mother."

"I am nothing like my mother." She knew it was a lie, but she was still angry at her for leaving them, for leaving her.

He didn't say anything and she resorted to listening to the fire crackling and burning behind them. And for several minutes they sat in silence.

"sometimes" He said, but she didn't understand.

"what?"

"Sometimes she's the reason." He admitted, then before she could respond, "It's my turn."

"Your turn for what?"

"Why do you hate her so much? Your mother?"

She sighed realizing that they had started playing a game of truth. This was not something she would had ever thought possible less than a year ago. That she and General Monroe would be asking each other personal questions in the middle of the woods at night.

"She left, she took the easy way out." Charlie stopped trying to think of what to say next, "We thought she was dead, but she was just shacking up with you and Miles, while we struggled to survive. How could she have left us and still care about us?"

"Charlie, your mother was trying to help you, she came to us so that your father wouldn't have to. She figured you would need him." He said trying to explain.

"Didn't she figure we'd need her too? I had to raise myself and Danny, in the middle of a war." She fought back tears. "She could have stayed." Charlie felt like she should have more to say, some really big reason that she hated Rachel. Her reason sounded really stupid out loud, but she had nothing else.

Monroe reached over and touched her arm, but she pulled away. "Why do you even care? Why haven't you killed me? And don't say it's because you need me to help you find Miles."

"Charlie…" He sighed.

"I answered your question."

He paused getting his thoughts together, "Miles and I were sitting by my families graves in my home town. It was one night a few weeks after the accident."

She listened intently, knowing that this was hard for him to say.

"We just got to talking, and he said he didn't want to have kids. I asked him why, and he said he just didn't think he'd be a good father. But that's not the point, the point is, he asked me, made me promise, that if he ever did have children, I would look after them if he couldn't. He made me promise. Charlie you are the closest thing he is ever going to have to a daughter." He ran his hand through his hair, "I don't break promises."

She sat there for a while longer, but she was really tired and even if she couldn't sleep, she just wanted to lay down. So, she looked over at Monroe and nodded, to signify that she understood. Then she got up and walked back over to where Jeff was sleeping. She laid back down and pushed herself up against Jeff.

The fire was dying down, and Charlie began to shiver. Jeff moved reaching out in his sleep and pulling her closer and she laid in the crook of his arm. Charlie looked over and saw Monroe's eyes glass over. She could tell that he was in pain. That he wasn't happy. Maybe losing his Republic had made him come to his senses and realize what he had lost in the process of gaining power. Family. It was then that Charlie realized just how much she had done for family, and in that moment Charlie began to feel like Sebastian Monroe, was family.


End file.
